Apple gunning for parents' pockets with new WatchOS 5 walkie-talkie feature

by Daniel Petrov / Jun 04, 2018, 1:29 PM

Apple gunning for parents' pockets with new WatchOS 5 walkie-talkie feature

Apple just unleashed what is perhaps the single most useful feature that will make parents go out and buy its Watch in droves - a walkie-talkie option. That's right, those cheapo Chinese smartwatches that allow you to track your kid and chat with them for pennies on the dollar through your carrier of choice will now have one giant competitor - Apple.

The new WatchOS 5 lets the timepiece connect with another person carrying an Apple Watch either via cellular connection (Series 3), or with Wi-Fi, for an instant, real-time conversations.

The corresponding Apple Watch will get a notification that it will be used in walkie-talkie mode with another one, and if it accepts, the two Watch-buddies will be idling away the hours with pointless convos in no time.

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11 Comments

1. apple-rulz

Posts: 1798; Member since: Dec 27, 2016

That is an awesome feature!

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 1:30 PM 5

2. AmashAziz

Posts: 2867; Member since: Jun 30, 2014

How is it different from regular calls?

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 1:52 PM 0

3. bucky

Posts: 3765; Member since: Sep 30, 2009

walkie talkie style vs phone call.

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 1:59 PM 1

4. AmashAziz

Posts: 2867; Member since: Jun 30, 2014

You're such a genius. A little more explaining wouldn't have hurt though.......dear sir!!

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 2:02 PM 1

7. bucky

Posts: 3765; Member since: Sep 30, 2009

I didn’t know you were that young sorry. Walkie talkie is lbasically push to talk. A link that’s always connected.

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 3:19 PM 0

9. AmashAziz

Posts: 2867; Member since: Jun 30, 2014

Oh.....I knew that :). But I thought there were some other differences too. Thnx. Yeeah I am young. Be leniant with me dear sir!!

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 8:22 PM 0

8. cmdacos

Posts: 3663; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

A feature that used to be on phones but was never used by any great numbers, now being placed on a watch where PTT won't be used...

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 4:00 PM 2

10. AmashAziz

Posts: 2867; Member since: Jun 30, 2014

Thanks

posted on Jun 04, 2018, 8:22 PM 0

5. Leo_MC

Posts: 5917; Member since: Dec 02, 2011

In regular calls both parties can talk at the same time; this is just like a voice message. Because I can always send voice messages, I don't find it useful at all; if the message is played automatically whether I like it or not, I find it annoying (and a bit dangerous).